The Hatchet Lake Denesuline First Nation of Wollaston Lake, SK was proud to host 2010's annual Keepers of the Water conference, in conjunction with the Keepers of the Water Saskatchewan.

This watershed gathering built on the grassroots declaration, resolutions and rough watershed plan, which began in Liidlii Kue, Denendeh (Fort Simpson, NWT) in September 2006, and continued in Fort St. John, BC in the fall of 2007 and Fort Chipewyan, AB in 2008. In 2010, we moved to Hatchet Lake, adjacent to the Northern Hamlet of Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan.

There are over 100,000 bodies of water in northern Saskatchewan. The people and communities in this region have a strong relationship and inherent interest in protecting the water sources that sustain their lives. This year we focused on establishing a united voice to address the cumulative environmental issues of our respective basins. Our goal for this gathering was to determine viable solutions by identifying concrete and tangible water management actions.

All levels of Canadian government, involved industries, First Nations and Metis peoples, ENGOs, NGOs, doctors, scientists, academics, stewardship councils, community members and concerned citizens of every age and walk of life were invited to work on a democratic, all-stakeholders' grassroots watershed plan for one of the largest freshwater basins in the world. Now is the time to take action.

Now that the gathering has completed, we continue to call on you to join us on these courageous and vital next steps. Create a unified watershed action plan and a clear plan for its follow-up. Be informed. Be involved. Be heard. Be part of an unforgettable historic, democratic plan to secure responsible stewardship of our life-giving waters.